The Maratha Empire’s past is very much the story of the doings of the Chhatrapatis and the Peshwas. But what is ignored is that the Maratha confederacy was a complex mix of powerful families that went on to form their own kingdoms. Among the most notable of these was the Gaekwad of Baroda, who saw the rise from small-time village warriors to become progressive kings who left a mark on the history of Western India.

The Origins: Keepers of the Gate.

The Gaekwad family has roots in a Maratha village in the Pune district. Their dynastic name is of legendary origin. It is said that an early ancestor of the family, Nandaji Rao, was the fort keeper near Pune. One day, he saw a herd of cows, which in Hinduism are very sacred, being killed. Nandaji opened the small gate (kawad) of the fort to save the cows (gai), which earned him the name “Gaekwad”, that is to say, “he who opened the gate for the cows.

The family’s entry into military affairs came with Damaji I, which was under the Maratha general Khanderao Dabhade. Damaji did what it took in the Gujarat campaigns, but died childless, which in turn saw him take in his nephew Pilaji Rao Gaekwad.

Establishing the Dynasty

Pilaji Rao was the man who put in place the base of the Gaekwad rule in Gujarat. A skilled horseman, he rose through the ranks. In the void left by the declining Mughal Empire, Pilaji secured for himself the right to collect chauth in East Gujarat. His growing influence, which this brought about in turn, created friction with Mughal governors, and in 1732, he died fighting a Mughal sardar.

His son Damaji II took up the task of avenging his father’s death, which he did by capturing Baroda in 1734 and, from then on, made it the permanent seat of the dynasty. While the Gaekwads at first were under the Dabhade family, they soon rose to become greater than those they served. It also saw a short war with the Peshwa. In 1752, they signed a treaty, which in turn secured for them the position of preeminent Maratha power in Gujarat, which also gave them the title of Sena Khas Khel.

Relations with the British

As Britain’s power grew in India, the Gaekwads adjusted to stay afloat. In 1780, Mahadaji Gaekwad made a treaty with the East India Company, which in turn recognised the Gaekwad’s independence and their right to the title of Maharaja. Later, under Anandrao, the state entered into a subsidiary alliance, which put a British military presence in the area in exchange for their protection. This stabilised the kingdom, which in turn reduced its external sovereignty.

The Golden Era: Saijayashri III.

Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad III’s reign, which was the peak of the dynasty’s power, took place from 1875 to 1939. At the age of accession, he was a minor but grew to be a visionary administrator who transformed Baroda into a model state.

Sayajirao was a man before his time. He put in place free and compulsory primary education, which was a first in India, and also founded institutions like the Bank of Baroda and the Maharaja Sayajirao University. Also a great supporter of the arts and social reform, he backed people like Dr B.R. Ambedkar and Raja Ravi Varma. He did away with untouchability and, at the same time, pushed for industrial growth, which saw to it that while his kingdom modernised, it also preserved its culture.

Integration and Legacy

The dynasty ruled into the 20th century, which they spent largely at war with the forces of Indian independence. At its head was Sir Pratapsinh Gaekwad, Sayajirao’s grandson, who saw the state through its accession to the Dominion of India in 1947. The state, which at that point became a part of Bombay State, was later integrated into what is now the state of Gujarat.

In which Maharaja Fatehsinghrao Gaekwad left the royal life to enter public service by becoming a Member of Parliament and also a notable cricketer. Today, the Gaekwad family is a symbol of Baroda’s rich cultural heritage, which we remember not for being just rulers but for being enlightened, as they proved by the development of a progressive society.